Letter from my aunt, with information about my mother's future accommodation; in respect of this, a letter {779} to the housemaster, with information.

*

The tax authorities give notice of the second installment of my personal income tax, apparently enticed by my willingness with regard to the income tax; yet that will still cost them too dearly.

*

From the battlefields, thoroughly favorable news;1 it is becoming increasingly clear, although one may not say so aloud too plainly, that Austria is interceding for Germany in the truest sense for the second time, by covering the Silesian border north and west of Krakow in order to enable Hindenburg to set up defenses on the east Prussian border. For possibly the Russians could have succeeded in breaking into Silesia, even if at the same time they were marching towards Königsberg. This, then, was the purpose of the retreat of our army, which voluntarily gave up a position that had been won with great sacrifice. This sacrifice, however, represents at the same time the strongest document also of a trust; for it would have been impossible for Germany to demand such a sacrifice if it were not sure of a victory at the expense of the sacrifice, as, conversely, Austria would not have declared itself prepared to make the sacrifice if it did not have the complete confidence in make it splendidly redeemable.2

It is disconcerting to see the inadequacy of the people in judging such situations. To mention just a few things: the people cannot understand that, as great as the superiority of the Russian forces may be, it is by no means great enough to pursue two extremely difficult goals against two spiritually superior armies of about three or four million soldiers simultaneously, namely to march towards Vienna and Berlin. An army that wished to unify such goals would have to be at least ten times larger, something which in reality is not the case. From this, however, it follows further that the pursuit of even the one goal will encounter insurmountable difficulties, in which the superior [numbers] of the Russian army play no part. For how can it reach Vienna if it cannot deploy its full superiority exclusively against Austria? Would the Prussian army permit it? And, conversely, if the {780} Russians were to head towards Berlin and assert their superiority there, would the Austrian army allow it? One sees, however one looks at it, it will even in future be impossible for the Russians to achieve what they want, even if they knew what they wanted.

In addition, the people's impatience expresses an unusually base mentality with respect to the powers of government precisely in the moment that they set about fulfilling their assignment in the most resplendent way. Suppose one says to a citizen that he should undertake the procreation of a child in full public view, with newspaper coverage, or that he should disseminate the management of his finances in public, or otherwise permit his sexual or intellectual life to attract public interest; one will then encounter his complete opposition, which is also justified. But hardly is the sphere of his egoism exceeded than the citizen becomes as stupid as an animal and reveals himself to be without sensory organs for general interests, even though his own are probably best intertwined in them! How easy it ought to be for him to understand that one cannot bring battle plans into public view any more than plans for procreation; and yet it is precisely the impossible that he demands, so that the generals repeatedly put themselves in the position of rebuking the people through the newspapers. It is just a pity that they are unable to explain this better to the people and put them in their place.

*

In the afternoon, a walk in the most beautiful weather in the vicinity of the Arsenal, where we get to see various and diverse military representations.
—On the way home we intentionally go into the bank society to request that my name be omitted from the subscriber list; and to our surprise we learn that one's name is published only if the party so requests. Of what value, then, are all wars and all sacrifices so long as the people offer their interest-bearing bonds, which reflect on themselves, in the name of sacrifice, if a reward moreover nods at their vanity! And what sort of morality is otherwise revealed by the list of subscribers! Millions upon millions in the hands of obscure people, who could withdraw at any time in order merely to let their money make its effect. When the millions were summoned to voluntary mobilization, they did not arrive; now they come, yet still only a very modest {781} fraction, also in order to pocket the interest on their sacrifices. One can now name an even nobler obligation, such as the education of humanity through art and science, and one realizes that the millions once again hide themselves away and the rich announce themselves as beggars. Indeed, the artists ought once imitate the idea of the state and tax at 5½% all the money that the rich are minded to spend on art and science; only in this way could one nonetheless enforce the participation of the disappearing fraction. That art offers an even better return for the expended money than is expressed by 5½% is something that the intellect of the rich, whose brain is composed only of money, can in no way comprehend.

Letter from my aunt, with information about my mother's future accommodation; in respect of this, a letter {779} to the housemaster, with information.

*

The tax authorities give notice of the second installment of my personal income tax, apparently enticed by my willingness with regard to the income tax; yet that will still cost them too dearly.

*

From the battlefields, thoroughly favorable news;1 it is becoming increasingly clear, although one may not say so aloud too plainly, that Austria is interceding for Germany in the truest sense for the second time, by covering the Silesian border north and west of Krakow in order to enable Hindenburg to set up defenses on the east Prussian border. For possibly the Russians could have succeeded in breaking into Silesia, even if at the same time they were marching towards Königsberg. This, then, was the purpose of the retreat of our army, which voluntarily gave up a position that had been won with great sacrifice. This sacrifice, however, represents at the same time the strongest document also of a trust; for it would have been impossible for Germany to demand such a sacrifice if it were not sure of a victory at the expense of the sacrifice, as, conversely, Austria would not have declared itself prepared to make the sacrifice if it did not have the complete confidence in make it splendidly redeemable.2

It is disconcerting to see the inadequacy of the people in judging such situations. To mention just a few things: the people cannot understand that, as great as the superiority of the Russian forces may be, it is by no means great enough to pursue two extremely difficult goals against two spiritually superior armies of about three or four million soldiers simultaneously, namely to march towards Vienna and Berlin. An army that wished to unify such goals would have to be at least ten times larger, something which in reality is not the case. From this, however, it follows further that the pursuit of even the one goal will encounter insurmountable difficulties, in which the superior [numbers] of the Russian army play no part. For how can it reach Vienna if it cannot deploy its full superiority exclusively against Austria? Would the Prussian army permit it? And, conversely, if the {780} Russians were to head towards Berlin and assert their superiority there, would the Austrian army allow it? One sees, however one looks at it, it will even in future be impossible for the Russians to achieve what they want, even if they knew what they wanted.

In addition, the people's impatience expresses an unusually base mentality with respect to the powers of government precisely in the moment that they set about fulfilling their assignment in the most resplendent way. Suppose one says to a citizen that he should undertake the procreation of a child in full public view, with newspaper coverage, or that he should disseminate the management of his finances in public, or otherwise permit his sexual or intellectual life to attract public interest; one will then encounter his complete opposition, which is also justified. But hardly is the sphere of his egoism exceeded than the citizen becomes as stupid as an animal and reveals himself to be without sensory organs for general interests, even though his own are probably best intertwined in them! How easy it ought to be for him to understand that one cannot bring battle plans into public view any more than plans for procreation; and yet it is precisely the impossible that he demands, so that the generals repeatedly put themselves in the position of rebuking the people through the newspapers. It is just a pity that they are unable to explain this better to the people and put them in their place.

*

In the afternoon, a walk in the most beautiful weather in the vicinity of the Arsenal, where we get to see various and diverse military representations.
—On the way home we intentionally go into the bank society to request that my name be omitted from the subscriber list; and to our surprise we learn that one's name is published only if the party so requests. Of what value, then, are all wars and all sacrifices so long as the people offer their interest-bearing bonds, which reflect on themselves, in the name of sacrifice, if a reward moreover nods at their vanity! And what sort of morality is otherwise revealed by the list of subscribers! Millions upon millions in the hands of obscure people, who could withdraw at any time in order merely to let their money make its effect. When the millions were summoned to voluntary mobilization, they did not arrive; now they come, yet still only a very modest {781} fraction, also in order to pocket the interest on their sacrifices. One can now name an even nobler obligation, such as the education of humanity through art and science, and one realizes that the millions once again hide themselves away and the rich announce themselves as beggars. Indeed, the artists ought once imitate the idea of the state and tax at 5½% all the money that the rich are minded to spend on art and science; only in this way could one nonetheless enforce the participation of the disappearing fraction. That art offers an even better return for the expended money than is expressed by 5½% is something that the intellect of the rich, whose brain is composed only of money, can in no way comprehend.

2 Schenker's assessment of the military situation is incorrect. The retreat of the Austro-Hungarian troops from Russian Poland, and from the largest part of Galicia, was not voluntary but something forced on them by the Russians, who were victorious in several battles (Gnila Lipa, Rawa, Lemberg).